閑古鳥が鳴く

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Japanese

Kanji in this term
閑 古 鳥 鳴
かん
Grade: S 		こ
Grade: 2 		とり > どり
Grade: 2 		な
Grade: 2
kan'on kun'yomi

Etymology

Phrase composed of 閑古鳥 (kankodori, “cuckoo bird”) + が (ga, subject particle) 鳴く (naku, “to call, to cry”, such as an animal sound).[1][2][3] Literally, “the cuckoo-bird calls”.

Used as a metaphor for loneliness or desolateness; see the 閑古鳥 (kankodori) entry for more. Compare English crickets, which similarly uses an animal noise to allude to a lack of response or activity.

Attested since 1929.[1] Appears to have largely replaced the older version, 閑古鳥が歌う (kankodori ga utau, literally “the cuckoo bird sings”), which is not listed in some dictionaries.[2][3]

Pronunciation

Phrase

閑(かん)古(こ)鳥(どり)が鳴(な)く • (kankodori ga naku) 

  1. (figurative) describes a state of having few visitors, of being lonesome, desolate, or unpopular, especially in business
    Synonym: (uncommon, possibly archaic) 閑古鳥が歌う (kankodori ga utau)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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